In February 2024, telecommunications prices in Portugal, as measured through the respective grouping of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), increased by 5.8% compared to the previous month. This increase comes as a result of a “price adjustment” by providers that affected bundled offers and offers of mobile telephone services and mobile broadband services via PC/tablet/pen/router. The current increase is the biggest monthly increase since May 1993.
Compared to the same month of 2023, telecommunications prices increased by 7.2%, the biggest increase since April 1994. This variation in prices exceeds the increase in CPI (2.1%) by 5.1 percentage points.
The average rate of change in telecommunications prices over the last twelve months was 4.9% and 1.6 percentage points above CPI (3.3%). This was the highest rate since January 1997.
By type of service and according to data from Eurostat, the average rate of change over the last twelve months in Portugal was 6.7% for bundled services and 3.5% for mobile telephone services.
In international terms, the average rate of change over the last twelve months in telecommunications prices in Portugal was 3.6 percentage points higher than that reported for the European Union (1.3%). Portugal recorded the 3rd highest variation in prices (25th lowest) among EU27 countries. The country with the biggest price increase was Hungary (+11.7%), while the biggest decrease was reported in Malta (-5.6%).
By subgroup, the average rate of change in prices for bundled services over the last twelve months in Portugal was 3.7 percentage points higher than the EU average, while the average rate of change in prices for mobile telephone services was 4.1 percentage points higher.
From a long-term perspective and in cumulative terms, telecommunications prices have increased by 21.3% since the end of 2009, while CPI has increased by 28.0%. However, over that same period, telecommunications prices in the EU decreased by 8.0%.
By operator, the lowest monthly charges are offered by NOWO in seven cases out of a total of 11 services/offers; MEO and Vodafone reported the lowest monthly charges for one service/offer each.
As an example, NOWO reported the lowest minimum monthly charge for the standalone mobile telephone service (6.25 euros) and for triple-play bundle offers (22.5 euros) and quadruple play (30 euros). Vodafone had the lowest minimum monthly charge for the quintuple play offer (66.70 euros).
Consult the statistical report:
- Trends in telecommunications prices - February 2024 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1775891
